An Otaku's Love
by Arker
Summary: Over the past few months Konata had begun acting rather strange, she had become more timid, and started being a lot nicer, she even teased Kagami less, Kagami can not seem to figure out what is up with her, however is this change necessarily a bad thing?


An Otaku's Love

Chapter 1: Acting Funny

* * *

"Kagami~n!" Konata happily yelled before tackle-hugging her friend around the waist. School had just ended and Konata had ran towards Kagami's class to find her.

"Get off of me you twerp! God, why do you always have to do that?" Kagami complained, trying to pry her off of her.

"Nooo..." Konata whined, tightening her grip, refusing to let go.

"I said get off me." Kagami said in an annoyed tone, finally breaking free of her grasp. "Geez, why are you so annoying?"

"Please, Kagami, I know you love it." Konata replied with her trademark smile.

"I do not."

"That's just your tsun-tsun side talking, I know you really love me."

"No, I don't, and stop using those stupid otaku words." Kagami complained.

"Hehehe. Kagami can't admit the truth." Konata said, chuckling to herself.

"You are so annoying, why would I love you?"

"..I...J-just joking of course." Konata said, waving her hand.

_"Ugh, why would I keep saying that? I probably made her mad." _Konata thought sadly

"So, anyways, why did you run over here? Where are Miyuki and Tsukasa?" Kagami asked, just realizing they were not with her.

"Oh, they are on their way like usual, I just ran ahead 'cause I wanted to see you." Konata said, fearing she may have been a tad too direct.

"...I see." Kagami replied, unsure of what that meant. Usually with Konata is was not a good thing.

"Umm, do you wanna hang out today or something? I wanted to ask before the others got here, cause we haven't hung-out in a while." Konata asked, revealing the real reason she ran ahead.

"Ah, sure I guess, but why don't you want Tsukasa or Miyuki there?" Kagami replied, unsure of what Konata was up too, but kinda glad, because as she said, they had not hung-out in a while.

"I...just want to hang out with you." Konata said, kinda shyly.

"Oh, well okay." Kagami said agreeing, disregarding that a minute before she had been annoyed with her: a common occurrence with the two.

"Hey, Onee-chan! Kona-chan, you are a fast runner, why were you in such a hurry?" Tsukasa asked, as she and Miyuki finally caught up.

"Just had to ask Kagami something."

"I see, what is it you needed to ask?' Miyuki asked her.

"Konata wants me to come over." Kagami replied.

"Oh, sounds like fun." Tsukasa replied, not aware she was uninvited this time.

"Sorry, Tsukasa, only Kagami this time."

"Aww! Alright, I guess: Mom wanted me to do some cleaning anyways." Tsukasa replied, remembering she neglected her chores the other day.

"Yeah, Tsukasa, Mom'll be angry if you don't do it again."

"Well, I apologize but I have to be off as well. Mother needs me to do some shopping, but I suppose it's a good thing it's just you two anyway." Miyuki replied, gently bowing, and heading off towards her train.

"Sigh, why do I have the feeling this isn't going to be a fun day?" Kagami asked herself aloud.

"You meanie! I really don't have anything planned, I just want to hang out with you." Konata replied.

"Heh, sorry." Kagami said rubbing her head, as they boarded the train bound for Konata's house.

"Its *yawn* fine." Konata said, a large yawn separating the two words.

"Are you tired?" Kagami asked as they sat down, Kagami taking the window seat like she liked.

"Yeah, a bit. I actually went to bed early yesterday, since the anime I wanted to watch was postponed 'till next week and my game's server was down. But I couldn't fall asleep. Heh, the one time I actually wanted to!"

"If you are tired, why don't you take a nap? It's a 20 minutes ride."

"Hmm. Yeah, I think I will." She said, slowly closing her eyes. She gently, without meaning too - at least not completely - lay herself against Kagami.

"Sorry, you don't mind do you?" she asked. She was actually quite comfortable, and she really liked laying against her.

"No, its fine, Tsukasa does it all the time." Kagami said, thinking not much of it, instead that Konata could be quiet when she was not so hyper, and irritating.

"Kagami, I- *Yawn* I'm sorry if I always annoy you." Konata said, trying her best to apologize for earlier. It had upset her, seeing Kagami actually looking a little angry at her.

"Huh? Its fine." Kagami was taken aback by this. She had rarely, if ever heard Konata apologize. She had thought nothing of what she had said, since it was almost a daily thing.

"No, I mean it. I always annoy you, and you are nice to let me lay like this." Konata said, tilting her head away from Kagami, so she wouldn't see her. A tear rolled down her cheek as she said these words. Without meaning too, Konata was saying things she did not want to, and the feelings that had been developing within her the past few months had began to affect her actions.

"Konata, it's fine, really. You're just playing around, I know that. Really, it doesn't bother me that much." Kagami replied, putting a hand on Konata's head. She could tell something was up with her, but not what it was.

"...Thank you." Konata replied, not saying anything else. Instead just letting herself drift off to sleep.

_"Hmm. She's acting kinda odd. Did she really think I was mad? She acts like that all the time but now she is apologizing. Maybe she actually feels bad since I got annoyed earlier, but it never usually bothers her at all. I wonder what's up with her." _Kagami looked at her. She couldn't see her face, and was unable to see a red tint on her cheeks, and a few tears.

* * *

"Otou-san, I'm home!" Konata yelled as they entered the house. After a few moments without a reply she remembered he was off at a book signing for the day and would not return until night

"Ah, that's right he's gone. Oh well. Hmm, I don't see Yutaka's shoes, she must be over at Minami's house." Konata observed.

"Oh, so its just us?" Kagami asked, also noticing the house's emptiness.

"Guess so. Oh well, want to like play a game or something?" Konata asked, walking towards her room."

"Sure lets play that one fighting game again, I think I'm getting better." Kagami replied, wanting a rematch.

"Alright, sounds good!" Konata said turning on the game.

"Haha! Let's see how you like this." Kagami said, using a new combo she figured out.

"Hmm, you are getting good, but I mastered some new tricks too." Konata said pressing a button, finishing her off.

"Ah! Go again!" Kagami demanded.

Another game- "Hmm, you beat me that time." Konata said, reading the "P2 wins" text in defeat.

"Did you go easy on me, just to let me win?" Kagami asked, unable to believe it herself.

"No way! You're good Kagami, I'm proud at the awakening Otaku in you."

"Ehh, I'm nothing like Otaku." she said slightly offended, but happy at Konata's praise.

"Haha, lets play some more." Konata said, clicking the retry button.

Just over an hour later they sat, both bewildered at the scores: P1 wins 6, P2 wins 13.

"You are getting good Kagami, you wiped the floor with me." Konata said happily.

"I can't believe it, I actually did better then you at a video game." Kagami replied "You have to be going easy on me or something." she replied

"I'm really not, I swear you've just practiced a lot. How did you get that good?" Konata asked.

"Well, actually, since last time we played, I looked up this website and I found-out how to do better combos. Since I wanted to be as good as you were." Kagami replied, a little embarrassed at that.

"I'm proud of you Kagami! Making good use of tips and tricks from the fan base to beat me at games. You have to show me." Konata said, happily.

"Okay let me pull it up real quick," she said getting up.

"Yeah! My Kagami really is turning into an Otaku! Haha, I'm so proud of her." she said. Kagami shook the mouse, waking the computer off its screen saver.

"Hey, its not like that." Kagami huffed, turning away, embarrassed as she knew Konata would say that. Fortunately for Konata she did turn around that moment, because Konata apparently forgot to close the web pages she was at the night before. Suddenly noticing this, Konata's eyes grew huge, and her heart began racing with panic.

"NOOO!!!!" Konata yelled rushing forward, hitting the off button on her monitor.

"What are you doing? I was gonna show you that cool website I found." Kagami said, shocked at her outburst.

"You can't see that!!!" she said, standing in front of the computer, blocking her.

"Alright, geez you don't need to yell." Kagami backed-up.

"I-I'm sorry, it's really private." Konata said quietly, trying to explain herself.

"Its fine. I can just show you another time. Besides knowing you, its probably something perverted."

"Haha, yeah..." Konata said, her heart aching.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"Um, Kagami. I want to ask you something." Konata said, tightly gripping the hem of her shirt.

"Huh? Yeah, sure what is it?

"I, would you, bemuigurlfruhend?" Konata's words jumbled into incoherency. Kagami had no clue what she said at all.

"Um, what? I couldn't hear a word of that."

"I-I mean, Kagami I-. I l-l-l. I lo..." she struggled, making no sense at all. Her face turned red and turned away from her.

"What is up with you?" Kagami asked, worried for her

"Nothing... Um, can I copy your homework?" she said, playing it off, rubbing her face, not looking at Kagami.

"...What? Is that all? I thought you actually had something important to ask." Kagami said kinda annoyed, going towards her door to go get her bag.

"No! Wait, Kagami, I'm sorry." Konata panicked, running over to her and gripping her arm. "Don't leave, please, I'll do it myself!"

"What's with you? Relax, I was just going to go get my bag." She said, realizing there was seriously something up with Konata.

"I-I thought you were going to leave, 'cause you were angry or something." Konata explained weakly, letting go of her.

"No. Geez, you are acting really odd today, you know that? I don't really mind that much if you copy me, but if you are serious about doing it yourself, then good."

"I just didn't want to make you mad." Konata replied, her voice still slightly shaky.

"This is like the third time today you've apologized, are you okay? You aren't really acting like yourself." Kagami replied, thinking there really was something up with her.

"It's nothing, let's just play a game or something okay." Konata said, sitting back down turning the game system back on.

"Sure.." Kagami replied, but kept looking over at Konata, who seemed to be acting normal again.

"...Kagami you didn't even try to dodge that move, you aren't playing like you were earlier."

"Oh, sorry, didn't notice it." Kagami replied, a P1 wins flashing up again. She was still looking over at Konata.

_"what is wrong with her? There is no way it's nothing, something is wrong with her. She's actually worrying about me being angry with her, and she got so distressed just from thinking I would leave. what is up with her?"_ Still distracted, she lost the match again.

"Hmm. Let's play something else. What do you want to play, Kagami?"

"Ah, I don't know, anything is fine. I've got to go in about another hour." she replied.

"Really? Okay." Konata said, sad she wanted to be able to spend a little more time with her.

"Yeah, Mom wants me home for dinner."

"Well, that's okay."

For the next hour they casually played a multitude of games. Konata winning most of them, Kagami a few as well, and the random conversation followed back and forth.

"I should probably get going." Kagami said, standing up getting her bag.

"Okay. Um, see you tomorrow, I guess."

"Yeah, it was nice hanging out. Sorry I thought you had something weird planned."

"Its alright." Konata replied.

"Still, it was nice, just the two of us hanging out, we don't get to do that too often." Kagami responded

"Yeah, I missed it."

"Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow. ...Actually, I'll call you later, alright?" Kagami said, as she left. Recently they found themselves talking on the phone a lot, and Konata made a note to keep her phone within reach, knowing Kagami would call.

"Yeah, talk to you later." Konata said, closing the door behind Kagami, then sighing heavily. "I'm such an idiot..." Konata said walking back to her room. "Why can't I control myself anymore? And how could I forget to close out of this, she almost saw it." Konata said to herself, turning her computer's monitor back on and closing out of the web links one by one.

"5 sure fire ways to know you're in love." "Falling in love with your best friend" "Is it okay to like another girl?" Among other website blogs she had opened.

"Kagami." Konata quietly said to herself, looking at a picture she had of them together. It was hidden away safely, but near her bed.

She slowly got up, turned the lights off in her room and lay back down on her bed, tightly wrapping her arms around her legs. She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.

"Kagami, I'm so stupid aren't I? All I've done the past few months is think about you, and every time I look something up, it just says the same thing. I'm so sorry, I know you'll probably hate me for it, but I can't stop myself. I love you, Kagami." Konata said to herself, unsure why she was saying such things out loud, as a few tears rolled down her face, wetting the pillow she clutched.

"I know I annoy you a lot, but I just want to touch you, and hold you. Is that so wrong? But, I'm so sorry, I always make you mad, I never have wanted that and, you said it yourself, why would you love me? It just a stupid idea, but I wish you did. That's all I want, Kagami." she said, sobbing harder. She had rarely cried, only when her mom had died, or when she thought about Kagami.

"I can't take this, I need you, Kagami." Konata moaned loudly, tears flowing down her cheeks. Konata had had thoughts like this, almost every night, for the past 4 months or so. It ha been building gradually inside her for months, and recently had been unable to stop herself from hugging and saying overly nice things to Kagami.

* * *

Kagami slowly opened the door to her room. After eating dinner with her family, she was glad to get some time alone, she had a lot of odd thoughts roaming through her head.

_"Konata is acting really weird lately. This past week, or more like a month or so, she's been kinda clingy to me, way more than usual. But what's up with her? It's kinda odd seeing her like that. She's acting timid too, and she's been apologizing every time she thinks she made me mad or annoyed. I should ask her, but she might not want to tell me. And what was she trying to say earlier? I don't think it was just about homework." _Kagami struggled to make sense of her friend's odd new behavior.

Suddenly a knock on the door broke her from her thoughts.

"Y-yes who is it?" Kagami asked, shaking her head clear.

"Can I come in, Onee-chan?" Tsukasa asked, sheepishly.

"Oh, sure."

"You didn't talk much at dinner, and you seemed kinda off. Did something happen at Konata's?"

"Hmm. No, not really. Well, Tsukasa, do you think Konata's been acting weird lately?"

"Hmm. Well, I think I know what you mean, she's been acting kinda odd lately, hasn't she? Mostly around you, I think. It's like she's trying to be around you more, and she's even started teasing you less." Tsukasa explained.

"If you noticed it too there must be something. Thanks, Tsukasa." Kagami replied, glad to know she wasn't the only one who thought something was up. But now she knew something was wrong with Konata she felt worried.

"What do you think it is?" Tsukasa asked her twin.

"Not sure, but she was acting funny at her house." Kagami replied.

"How so?" Tsukasa asked.

"Hmm. Well, there was something she was trying to say to me, but I didn't hear her, and she played it off by asking for my homework. And then when I tried to go get my schoolbag, she grabbed me and begged me not to leave her. She even said she would do it herself." Kagami explained.

"I see, that is kinda odd. She said she would do it: that's not like her at all." Tsukasa replied, also finding her behavior strange. "...Of course it is Kona-chan, so you can never really be sure what's up with her."

"Yeah. Tomorrow, I'm going to see if she wants to hang out again, and I'll ask her what's up." Kagami decided.

"But...is the way she's acting now really a bad thing?" Tsukasa asked, thinking the new way Konata was acting wasn't a bad change.

"Well, no. She seems so pay a lot more attention, and is being a lot nicer to me. But there is something wrong with her. There has to be, to make her act like that." Kagami replied, worried for her friend.

"Well, she seems like she is only doing towards you, and is only really different when you're around..."

"Yeah, I've noticed that too."

"...Maybe she likes you or something?" Tsukasa joked.

"Eww...That would be weird." Kagami replied.

"Well...What would you do if that was it?" Tsukasa asked, wondering if that might actually be the reason Konata was acting so different.

"I-I don't know."

"Well, do you not like the idea or what?"

"That-. Two girls shouldn't date, that's weird. I don't think girls are supposed to be like that."

"But, what about Konata?" Tsukasa asked, trying to figure out what Kagami thought about her.

"Well, if Konata is like that I guess I'll be supportive. I don't know, its still odd." Kagami said evasively, not wanting to say what Tsukasa was actually asking.

"No, I mean how do you feel about her?" She asked again.

"I don't know, I-I think…I mean I do kinda like her. But I still wouldn't date her." Kagami replied.

"I thought so." Tsukasa replied, understanding.

"I don't know. Its really weird, I really don't think two girls should be like that." Kagami said, defensively.

"Its alright, Kagami, I won't say anything to anyone. Besides, that probably isn't even it. I was just joking, I'm sure Konata has a different reason." Tsukasa replied, thinking she may have pushed a bit too far.

"Its okay. Tsukasa, thanks for coming and talking to me, but can I be alone for a little bit?" Kagami asked, wanting time to think by herself.

"Sure Onee-chan, but can you do something for me?"

"What's that?"

"When you talk to Konata tomorrow, whatever it is, could you try not to hurt her?" Tsukasa asked, not wanting her friend's feelings to get hurt.

"I wouldn't do that to her, Tsukasa." Kagami replied.

"That's good, then. See you later, alright?" Tsukasa said, walking out.

"Yeah, talk to you later. Night!"

After Tsukasa left, she spent the rest of the night racking her brain over it. What was really wrong with Konata? And if that was it, that she liked her, what would she do? She'd never considered that possibility, since she'd always thought two girls being together was wrong. She stopped herself there, that couldn't be the problem, and if she kept thinking like that she might actually convince herself that she did like her.

Looking at the clock, she realized she had forgotten to call Konata. However, knowing her, she would still be up, and she thought that after everything, Konata might enjoy talking to her. Picking up her phone she speed-dialed her number. After two rings, Konata happily answered the phone.

"Hey Kagami, I was starting to think you weren't going to call." Konata said cheerily.

"Hey Konata." Kagami replied, looking forward to their chat, for the night.

* * *

**Author's note- I'm back everyone! Sorry, I'm not dead or anything, but the past few weeks/month -.- have been very rude to me. I'm not going into it, but I have been completely unable to write. That doesn't mean I'm done though: I'm going to write a bit of this new story to get back into my old self, and pick-up my other stories as I go along. I hope you can forgive this massive lapse, and I also hope you enjoyed this start up of my new story.**


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